{Gratitude}

I've been working a lot lately and have been away from my kids more than usual.

Wedding season is here and I've been back at the flower shop as Jaclyne's

assistant for 3 weddings this past weekend, back to back.

It's really hard work, in REALLY hot weather but very fulfilling for some reason.

Oh, how I ADORE peonies. The first time I received them was for my 21st birthday from Eric.


I miss owning the shop with her.

I miss being around the flowers all the time. The smells, the beauty...

It's been nice to be reminded of the person I used to be before I had kids.

But I sit here, unwinding after the whirlwind of a weekend with throbbing feet.

I have a little Miss snoring softly on the couch behind me and an even littler Miss tucked into a

ball in her crib who also is snoring away contently.

As I catch up on blogs and Facebook, I feel so sad reading about this
little girl named Kate that I've been following since 
I learned about her through Ryan Seacrest on Twitter.

Having a Kate too, who has blue eyes and a beautiful smile just like their Kate...
and also having a boy close in age to Kate McRae, I can't help but be really sad for
this beautiful little girl and her family. It struck a chord in me tonight, while reading about
Kate losing her first tooth because my boy, Charlie, well... he's been so envious of
his cousin Julianne's lost tooth. He wants to lose a tooth so badly that last week
at school, he went around telling all of his friends and teachers that he had 4 loose teeth.

He doesn't but I think he wants it so badly that he believes he does.
It's the sweetest thing in the world when he runs up to me after school and the first thing he will ask
after receiving his big bear hug, is for me to check if he has any more loose teeth yet.

I appreciate and love my kids with all my heart. I really do, as much as they drive me nuts.
Reading about little ones going through such life threatening struggles just makes me appreciate
and love them so much more.

I just want to kiss every freckle on Charlie's little face...

Dance with Kate until we both fall into a laughing fit on the floor....
 

And squeeze my little bear cub, Ella so tight.

 _______________________________

Today, we could no longer pass Charlie as a 2 year old... ha.
At the ripe age of 5, we had to cave and get him his very own Disneyland Annual Passport so he wouldn't have to pretend Ella's bottle was his and squish himself in the stroller to appear younger...
He is now the proud owner of this!
(which he likes to call his "silence".... he's actually trying to say license.
Funny little guy.)

He was such a big help with the girls.
He loves to push them in the stroller...

Poor Ella. The older 2 wanted to put on her socks for her. Thank goodness all of her toes are still in tact.



and then Ella got some lovins from her big sister.

I'm off to kiss my babies and snuggle them close to me.